Gender Differences in Monitoring and Deviant Peers as Predictors of Delinquent Behavior Among Low-Income Urban African American Youth

Journal of Early Adolescence, 05/15/2012O’Donnell P et al.

Results suggest that the level of peer deviance partially mediates the impact of monitoring on delinquent behavior, even after controlling for previous levels of delinquency. However, girls’ delinquency appear to be more influenced by peers than their perceptions of monitoring. Conversely, boys’ delinquent behavior is associated with daily immediate monitoring, not peer behaviors. These results are discussed in the context of particular issues facing low–income urban African American families.